Near the beginning of the pandemic, Mary Hamilton was laid off from her job as a nurse assistant. Health complications related to kidney disease made it hard to find work and she was having trouble paying for rent. So on May 15, she applied for COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA). Her situation is precisely the kind […]
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Michigan poised to slash some industrial electric rates by up to 60%, even as residential bills jump
As Michigan’s residential electric rates have increased even since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the state appears poised to approve plans that could slash costs for large industrial manufacturers by as much as 60%. A new program proposed to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) by Consumers Energy would reduce rates for new industrial customers using […]
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Outlier to expand city hall coverage in Detroit thanks to Report for America grant
Report for America announced today that Outlier Media is one of almost 70 new host newsroom partners for 2022, helping grow a program that will now include 325 journalists in 270 newsrooms across the nation. Through this partnership, Outlier will expand its coverage of Detroit city government. Journalists interested in this position can apply here by […]
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Could this property-tax tweak stop speculation, spur development?
At the I-94 service drive near Gratiot Avenue in Detroit sits a vacant lot. It’s been that way for 17 years. The lot at 9211 E. Edsel Ford Fwy was cheap to buy, going for $300 at the 2004 Wayne County Tax Auction. And it’s been cheap to own: The tax bill was roughly $20 […]
Posted inThe Dig
The Dig’s gift guide has Detroit all over it
Searching for gift ideas for a special person? Well, if they love Detroit, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together this list with a variety of options for people with all kinds of interests and needs. Whether they’re into books, home goods, art, architecture or the environment, we’ve got you covered. Here are […]
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Pause to Reflect: A violin performance with Pretty Stringz
In the spirit of gratitude, Outlier Media invites you to join us for a lunchtime concert performance with violinist Pretty Stringz. Join us for twenty-five minutes of virtual music from wherever you are in the world. We offer you this communal space to reflect, find a space for gratitude, and breathe! It’s a gift to […]
Posted inThe Dig
As wait times grow, DDOT leaves it to others to build bus shelters
Jonathan Peters rides the bus nearly every day, commuting from his home in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood near the Dearborn border to his job in Pontiac. It’s a long ride—over an hour when the buses arrive on time. And he’s fortunate that the first stop on his commute on Warren Avenue has a bus shelter. “During […]
Posted inThe Dig
Why housing scams in Detroit frequently go unpunished
Last Wednesday, Outlier Media published a piece in partnership with NBC News about a scam where people rent out or sell houses they don’t actually own. The residents I interviewed struggled to hold the scammers accountable. Many lower income Detroiters are forced into parts of the housing market that are less formal because mortgage companies, […]
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The ‘fake landlord’ scam destroys lives in Detroit. But culprits rarely face consequences.
This article was published in partnership with NBC News DETROIT — The day she made the final payment on her house last spring, June Walker could barely contain her jubilation. “I was running around the house, just thanking God,” said Walker, 65, who had scrimped and saved for more than two years, setting aside most […]
Posted inThe Dig
Detroit home repair program proves helpful—for the few who qualify
Over the last decade, tax foreclosure and abandonment were the main drivers of blight in Detroit. But today, residents are struggling to prevent the deterioration of the aging homes they own and live in. Tens of thousands of residents live in crumbling homes that are bad for their health and steadily losing value because owners […]